Music Festivals Warned of Possible Terrorist Attacks

A top counter terrorism official has issued a warning, saying that music festivals and nightclubs could very well be targets for the next major terrorist attack.

Following the attacks in Paris and Brussels, European officials have increased security and raised awareness of terrorist activities in order to ensure preparation for what could possibly happen next. Recently, music executives were invited to Wembley Stadium to hear from the deputy assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan police, Neil Basu, who is heading up the country's heightened security.

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Large scale gatherings are a top priority for security officials. With Europe's festival season about to get underway, Basu says that large scale gatherings, like Glastonbury which draws 135,000 attendees, could be the next targets.

“These people are perfectly happy to target civilians with the maximum terror impact,” he said. “Crowded places were always a concern for us, but now they are right at the top of the agenda.”

Places where there is a high concentration of people has always been a major concern, said Basu, but music festivals are particularly hard to regulate due to the large area they cover. It's simply not easy to control the campgrounds and main festival area of major festivals.

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That being said, many festivals, like Tomorrowland, have already increased their security with metal detectors and other festivals are sure to follow suite.